Who Am I?

Hi! I’m mavisreversereads, but you can call me Mavis. I’ve been on FF.net for a few years on this account under a different name (Death and the Fairy), but I’ve refurbished it with a less fandom specific username and a less cluttered profile in preparation for me actually writing something for once.

Some basic stuff about me for background: I’m female, I’m a young adult, I’m Canadian, and I only write for fun (I am in a STEM career path).

I have once been in or am currently in the following fandoms: Bleach, Naruto, Harry Potter, Avatar: The Last Airbender (and also Korra), Gravity Falls, Total Drama, Star vs The Forces of Evil, Fairy Tail, D. Gray Man, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Danny Phantom

I state once or currently am as my interest in fandoms tend to come in waves, and whilst I may not currently be super into some of the things above, I may be again.

If I start posting any multi-chapter fics for a fandom I'll add a subsection to my profile about it to give people an idea of what they can expect from me.

Other Reading/Writing Stuff to Know

I’m not a very romance-centric storywriter. Expect ships in my stories to be used more as a vehicle to explore the characters involved rather than for a ‘hotness’ factor. Similarly, I value ICness most when reading stories with shipping in them and won’t hesitate to drop stories that forget about the plot to focus more on romance.

I am neutral on Slash. It receives the same treatment as any other type of pairing from me.

As a general rule, I am against pedophilia, bestiality, rape and other illegal sex acts in romance stories. I will only read stories with these things in them if they portray them as disturbing, NOT ROMANTIC.

I am strongly against bashing. I will not read a story with bashing in it. I find it to be a sign of an immature and likely novice writer. Portraying a character you hate realistically, if still negatively, displays much more talent and maturity.

I write sporadically, as I have other commitments (not to mention I’m a major procrastinator). If I actually get a story going, do not expect anything like weekly updates.

I love time travel stories. They’re my favorite type of fanfiction plot.

I don’t like OC-centric stories. It’s nothing personal, I just read fanfiction because I want more of the characters I love, not for characters I have to be introduced to.

I’m only fine with overpowered main characters in humor stories; it just seems silly in serious ones.

I’m very picky about my AUs that take place in completely different worlds. If I wouldn’t be able to recognize all the characters with their names and appearances changed, I might as well just read an original novel.

I learned most of my writing skills from reading, as I have very little formal training in creative writing (even my high-school basically ignored it). If you see me make a grammar/spelling error or improperly format something, tell me. I appreciate it.

My Favorites List

I read a lot of fics (I think I’ve read about 4000-5000 total), but I like to reserve a place on my favorites list only for stories that I find truly great or that I have some other connection to. Since this makes my list quite short, and since this means I have an emotional attachment to most of the fics on the list, I’ve decided to go into detail on why each fic made the list (and give some honorable mentions). I’ve also read almost all of these fics more than once; I don’t officially consider it necessary to do before favoriting a story, but being interested in a fic enough to read it over again is what pushes most ‘maybes’ onto the list.

(Before I go on, I’d just like to state that one of the other qualifications for me to favorite a fic is that if it is incomplete and planned to be epic-length, it must have 50k words already released. This is because I feel like that’s about how many words I need to truly tell where it is going and if I like said direction.)

Uninvited Guests by Moczo (Bleach)

This was one of the first long fics I ever read on this site, and back when I was younger I thought it was the funniest thing ever made. I also credit this story for sparking my interest in serial escalation comedies, which are still my favorite type of written humor stories to this day. That said, I don’t love it as much as I used to. While it still has many jokes I like, particularly ones involving the 11th Division, it’s just too crack-y for my matured tastes. I still keep it on my list for the things it does well, the influence it has had on me as a writer and the nostalgia that never fails to strike me when I read it, though.

The World in Black and White by Kyrial Halcoryn (Bleach)

This is another nostalgic fic for me. I remember being very big into it back when it was still regularly updating. I think the main thing that endears this one to me is that it takes an AU idea frequently done in overly angsty dark-fics (Ichigo becoming a Hollow) and tells a more lighthearted humor-adventure story with it instead. It also gives a lot of love for unappreciated human characters (seriously, even Chizuru has a decent role). The technical writing is not quite at the level of some of my other favorite fics, and the humor is (again) a bit too crack-y for my current tastes, but overall I don’t think those problems take away from the fic too much. This was one of the fics that truly sparked my love of For-Want-Of-A-Nail AUs, which are now totally my jam.

The Striking Snake by AKissAndAGunshot (Bleach)

Gin Ichimaru is my favorite Bleach character and I’ve always found roleswap AUs to be underrated, so it’s more or less a given that I would love the concept of a roleswap-type AU with Gin as the main character. Again, the technical writing isn’t fantastic in this one, but my love of the idea and the character interactions that pop up as a result of Gin getting to interact with a bunch of people he never had a chance to in canon (and a few he did but in different ways) are super fun.

A Black Comedy by nonjon (Harry Potter)

I find it funny. End of story.

…Okay, there’s more to it than that, I guess. I may enjoy its occasionally dark but mostly just juvenile sense of humor, but it’s the entertaining character interactions, decent fight scenes, and clever plot points that make it stand out in a sea of crack fics. There’s a large YMMV element to the humor in this, as a lot is sex-based, but even if that isn’t exactly someone’s thing I could see them liking it anyways. What truly makes the story for me is the bromance between Harry and Sirius, which has some sad undertones with the parallels to the friendship between Sirius and James. I also enjoy that it is a Harry Potter humor fic without rampant bashing (as the author uses the more mature method of simply not writing much of the characters they hate instead of including them prominently only to hate on them). I wouldn’t say this fic had an influence on me like Uninvited Guests or The World in Black and White, but it is also one I’ve had a long history with it and it’s given me many laughs over the years.

Seventh Horcrux by Emerald Ashes (Harry Potter)

This is the funniest piece of fanfiction I have ever read; period. I laughed so hard the first time I read it I could barely breath. The comedic timing is on point, the characterization is hilarious, and the running gags are some of the best I’ve ever seen. The story isn’t as dark as the concept can make it sound, but it is not afraid to make some messed-up jokes on occasion. I can only aspire to ever be this funny. I don’t really know what else to say here; it is the master of a genre. It manages to avoid all of the pitfalls of humor fanfiction (gratuitous references, being pointlessly random, bashing, taking all of the jokes from canon and adding very little, etc.) in a way that I’ve never seen in an epic-length full comedy (no other genres mixed in) fic.

Embers by Vathara (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

I to this day stand by this as the best piece of fanfiction I have ever read, and the only one that I can call, with no exaggeration whatsoever, equal in quality to canon. The amount of time, the amount of effort, the amount of research (frickin’ actual academic citations at the ends of chapters) that went into this fic astounds me. The love and dedication put into the characters and worldbuilding is amazing. I cannot actually think of any major flaws in it, although I know it has its haters. If you have a problem with this fic because you think it bashes, or if you think Zuko is a Gary Stu in it, PM me for solid rebuttals; I’d be here forever if I wrote them on my profile. I hope that people would rather learn how to view something with so much passion put into it in a positive light than to stubbornly ignore counterarguments that might change their mind.

Anyways, this fic does not only inspire me as a fanfiction writer, it inspires me as a writer in general. Embers is one of the works of fiction I hold up as a golden standard, even when judging original fiction.

Bringing Out the Blue by maguena1 (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Zuko is my favorite A:tLA character, and this fic really does him justice. I’ve always enjoyed the idea of alternate endings to The Blue Spirit, but this is my personal favorite take on it. My fondness for For-Want-Of-A-Nail AUs also helps, as this story is one that really explores the ripples that spread out from the point of divergence and how they affect all characters, not just the main ones. It can also be pretty funny in a canon-like way when it wants to be, although it normally aims for a more serious tone.

A Drop of Poison by Angel of Snapdragons (Naruto)

This fic is more-or-less the magnum opus of for-want-of-a-nail fics. Seriously, watching the changes spread out from the initial point of divergence is downright mesmerizing with how well it is executed and how many exciting and fresh ideas it uses. It has heartwarming character relationships, badass new techniques and fights, subtle intrigue and political drama, and pretty much anything else one could ask for from a Naruto fic. The only thing I could see people not liking in this fic is that many prominent canon characters have been delegated to bit roles, but that’s only because others get their time to shine. This fic even made me like Ibisu. If you like slow-building adventure fics, this is the one for you; no question.

Stumble by writer168 (Naruto)

Now, I normally don’t enjoy Sakura-centric fics, but that just shows how good this one is that I like it anyways. I sincerely appreciate how this fic goes out of its way to show how severe trauma isn’t magically erased by going back in time to before it originally occurred, which is something that even many serious time travel fics are guilty of (or maybe it isn’t gone because of the time travel, but when the main character gets a new love interest in the past, they just forget all about it). The lack of Sakura-shipping focus is very refreshing. The fic also has a few other new and interesting ideas, including actually using Dan as a character, but what sells it for me is the complex and interesting Sakura portrayal, which is definitely something that people who are sick of her being a Fake Action Girl in fics will enjoy.

To Be Lost on the Road of Life by AthanatosOra (Naruto)

I have a complex love-hate relationship with Obito Uchiha as a character, but I’m always down for a good time travel fic, and he’s an enjoyably unique character to put in the driver’s seat. A lot more of this fic is about his inner thoughts than about actual actions, but as someone who’s very invested in seeing Obito believably redeem himself, I like that just fine. The fic has some pretty good characterization, particularly with Team Minato, and by the very nature of its unusual time traveler explores quite a few new ideas in the old concept.

CrimsonStarbird’s Fairy Tail Fics

CrimsonStarbird is the only author on this list to have multiple fics on this list, and that’s because they are one of the few I’ve seen on this site to be able to consistently come up with good, original ideas and execute those ideas to completion and their full potential.

Rise Up Once More

CrimsonStarbird’s first FT fic and probably the roughest in both idea and execution, although I still think it has solid enough characterization, good enough technical writing, and enough great ideas to warrant a favorite. It takes a silly, non-canon even in the anime filler episode and asks what would have happened if the characters actually had to deal with the consequences of it throughout the next few canon arcs. That’s freaking great. Rise Up Once more also contains my favorite fight scene in FT fanfiction and one of my favorite in fanfiction in general; I dare not say more and risk spoiling it. My favorite part about it, though, is that it actually takes the whole ‘teamwork and friendship’ theme of FT seriously, instead of doing like canon and only following it until the final fight, at which point it becomes the Natsu show.

Maiden of the Sky, Master of the Tower

Have you ever asked questions like: How the hell did Jellal successfully pull of the ‘Oh, he’s my evil twin.’ con? Is it possible to make Wendy’s childhood even more tragic? Is it even possible to write a(n altered) backstory fic half-filled with characters who die in canon even in a series that notoriously kills almost no characters? The answers, in reverse order to the questions, are yes, yes, and read to find out.

But anyways, this is my personal favorite of CrimsonStarbird’s FT fics. It made me feel things, which is very rare for a fanfic. Jellal and Wendy’s interactions are adorable, which makes it even more heartbreaking when you realize that despite the AU elements, this story intends to end up where canon starts.

Kidnapping Erza

While MotS,MotT made me want to cry, Kidnapping Erza made me laugh. Hard. Even if you don’t like Jerza, READ THIS. It has tons to offer in terms of humor and entertaining character interactions that can hold the story for you even if you don’t care about the pairing. It manages to hold the same humor tone as canon at its best, and similarly the characterizations also give a good showing. If you do like the ship, though, I assure you that this is the best comedic portrayal of it I’ve ever read.

It Was Like A Little Light

As Gildarts is my favorite FT character and is generally ignored by the fandom, I probably would have favorited this fic on the sole basis that he was one of the main characters. Hell, I actually kinda did; this is the only fic I have ever (and probably the only fic I will ever) favorited on the first chapter. I mean, CrimsonStarbird is someone I consider a trusted author, but still. Not that it mattered anyways, because I loved it. Kid!Gildarts was adorable, and I normally am not a big fan of stories about little kids. Since this fic is fully canon-compliant, I’m just going to imagine that it really happened, m’kay?

That’s it for the CrimsonStarbird FT fics, although if they write more it is almost guaranteed a spot here.

All Sides of this Tale are Crazy by Skitp (Total Drama series)

This is one of the more unusual stories I’ve favorited, but something about it just intrigues me. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it is a lot like how I would write a TD fantasy AU, except, you know, way better. It is also notable that I am for once happy that a fic went dead, as the audience input seemed to be pushing the story in a direction I wouldn’t have liked as much as what was already written. Anyways, the story has a fun setting, plays with the characters in said setting (but not enough to make them unrecognizable), and has a real lively style to it that drew me in. This story is why I’ll never try to come up with a TD fantasy AU like I do with many other fandoms; I just don’t think I could do better.

The Total Shuffled series by Fangren (Total Drama series)

Total Shuffled Island is the one on my favorites list, but you can consider it representative for the series as a whole. The series is one of the longest and most impressive fan-works I have ever read. It covers every piece of material the show itself does, and at quite a few points even exceeds the show in writing quality; God knows the ending to Total Shuffled Action was leagues better than canon’s anticlimactic snorefest. It’s so good and so comprehensive that I actually ship some characters in the context of the Shuffled series and only the Shuffled series; some characters are evolved so far beyond their canon counterparts that the ships just don’t work there. This one is also a major inspiration to me and helped solidify the return of my interest in the Total Drama series. I guess I should note that I don’t like TSPI as much as the other entries in the series due to the increased shipping focus, but even the worst entry in the series is still better than its canon counterpart season.

I also plan to add honorable mentions (mostly fics I love but that aren’t on this site), but it might take a while to whip up the list.

Current Projects

Main:

Secret Total Drama Project-

Unfortunately, I don’t really feel comfortable sharing information about this one yet, even though it is quite possibly the single fanfiction project I have put the most effort in and made the most progress on (I’m at over 10k words, 4k of which consist of the first half the first chapter; normally I lose interest at around 5K and never post anything). I have a few people I need to run it by before I want to make the concept public. What I can tell you, though, is that it’s going to be a competition fic, an AU of (a) canon season(s), and if all goes well it will last more than one season.

Total Drama World Tour: Endgame-

This one is a TDWT AU from the third Aftermath onwards that revolves around Noah getting back into the game at the merge. Whilst this concept may sound fairly simple and predictable, I plan on using it to explore deconstructive elements and to tell a story that does not glorify anyone, particularly Noah. It’s the closest thing to a dark-fic I will ever write in the TD fandom, although it does not really get darker than canon at its worst.

As it will only be 9-10 chapters long, it should not be too much of a problem to write, but I am choosing not to start it until I know for sure if I can get into the secret project. If the secret project does not work out, this will be what I’m working on. If the secret project does work out, you can expect this one at some unknown time likely a while from now.

Side:

Unnamed HP Marauders-centric/Jily Oneshot-

Just a little something I have sitting half-completed on my computer. I might complete it and post it if I get the time.

Unnamed Naruto Time Travel Crack-fic-

An old idea of mine that I still kick around whenever I get really bored. I wouldn’t get your hopes up for this one, though, as it borderlines a troll-fic and is probably only funny to me (and my questionable sense of humor)

Well that’s all I’ve got, so I hope you have a good day!